Jenna Corriveau on Creating Natural, Organic Connections With Children

A Licensed Social Worker, Jenna Corriveau received her Masters in Social Work (MSW) as well as a certification in Animal-Assisted Therapy from the University of Denver in 2011. Then, in 2012, she received an Early Childhood Social Emotional Interdisciplinary Credential from the Community College of Denver. Jenna has more than 15 years of experience working with children and families. She is passionate about creating connections with children, especially those who struggle. Jenna has a deep, abiding belief that children are whole, tiny people who genuinely want to do well. She believes it is vital for us to recognize children and the real, big emotions they experience. Her mission is to help guide children to live as their authentic selves and provide them the skills needed to effectively navigate through life and uncover their own inner wisdom. We took a few moments to ask Jenna some questions. Check out our Q&A.

What inspired you to pursue this career?
From a very early age I have felt able to create a natural, organic connection with children. I am incredibly grateful for the ability I have to attune with children and adults. I consider it a gift.

What inspired you to start on the path of Synergetic Play Therapy?
I taught preschool for a long time after receiving my undergraduate degree. While I loved working with kids, I found that a desire to work with kiddos in a more therapeutic way versus academically. There was a social worker at a preschool where I taught at in San Francisco. She worked specifically with kids who needed more social-emotional support. She inspired my journey towards becoming a social worker. During my time at DU I looked for an internship that felt like the right fit. While I had some awesome internship experiences (mentoring 8-12 year old kids in kinship care who had been abused and neglected, time at a therapeutic preschool and work with the special education department of the Jefferson County Preschools), I didn’t feel any of them were exactly what I was looking for. Then, during an online search, I stumbled across the Play Therapy Institute of Colorado. They were offering an intensive experience learning about Synergetic Play Therapy. After learning more about this very science/body-based method of working with kids that was paired with attunement (which I had felt was a longtime gift) and mindfulness, I was incredibly intrigued. Something lit up inside me. I trusted that intuition and signed up immediately for the Intensive. I was hooked!

What do you enjoy about Synergetic Play Therapy?
It was everything I had been searching for and much, much more. Synergetic Play Therapy has become not only what I do, but the way I live my life. It’s an incredible lens through which I view the world around me. My life has shifted in so many ways since beginning the Synergetic journey, and I am forever grateful.

What do you love about working with children?
Their ability to live in the moment and be so emotionally pure. They inspire me to be the most real, authentic version of myself I can be. I think this quote by Paulo Coelho captures my feelings perfectly, “Children can teach adults three things: 1. to be happy for no reason, 2; to always be curious; and 3. to fight tirelessly for something.”

What do you do in your free time?
Hang out doing everyday things with my hilarious two year old and incredible husband. Ski. Dance to live music (and just around my living room). Eat delicious food. Travel to fun places. And I jump on any opportunity I get to deepen my knowledge and relationship with Synergetic philosophies!

Copyright 2018 Play Therapy Institute of Colorado | All Rights Reserved | Lisa Dion, LPC, RPT-S, APT Approved Provider 09-264 | Designed By StacieVee DesignPlease note: We are a different organization than the Colorado Association for Play Therapy.